1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image formation system for forming an image on a sheet, a control method for controlling the image formation system, and a storage medium or the like for storing a control program to control the image formation system.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, it has been proposed an image formation system in which an image input apparatus such as a scanner or the like and an image formation apparatus such as a printer or the like are connected on a predetermined transmission medium to be able to output an image input by the image input apparatus with the image formation apparatus desired by a user.
However, in such the conventional system, even when one job mixedly including plural kinds of different-type data, e.g., color data, monochrome (black-and-white: B/W) data, etc., only either of the image formation apparatuses, e.g., a color printer and a monochrome printer can print these data. Although the color printer can print the data in full color, the monochrome printer is superior to the color printer in the points of printing speed, costs and the like. Therefore, for example, it is possible to cause the monochrome printer to print pages including only monochrome images. However, in such a case, an operator (or a user) has to judge whether causing either the color printer or the monochrome printer to perform the printing for each page, generate page printing designation for each page, and actually select the printer to be used for each page printing designation, whereby user's working becomes troublesome.
Further, in the above case, the operator further has to rearrange in the page order the sheets which were subjected the printing processing by the color printer and the monochrome printer and compile and bind the rearranged sheets into one, whereby there is some fear that a load to the operator increases. Therefore, in order to cut or decrease such the operator's load, for example, it is possible to think as one idea a system in which groups of sheets on which the images were respectively formed by the printers are gathered from sheet discharge units of the respective printers by the operator himself, the gathered sheets are set in a specific sheet processing apparatus capable of automatically rearranging the sheets in the page order, and then the sheets are compiled as one data and subjected to postprocessing by the specific sheet processing apparatus. However, even in this case, eventually an operator's assistance is indispensable in sequential processing until one book-bound thing is formed, whereby the load rests upon the operator. Thus, for example, there is some fear that an operator who is unfamiliar to the sheet processing apparatus erroneously operates or handles it because he does not understand how to set the group of sheets output from the respective image formation apparatuses. As a result, there is some fear that the processing to compile and bind the sheets output from the respective image formation apparatuses into one is not appropriately performed in the sheet processing apparatus, the sheets are subjected to, e.g., stapling processing as it is, and the sheets are thus wasted. Thus, it is difficult for the operator who is unfamiliar to the operation of such the sheet processing apparatus to use and manage such the system.
In consideration of such a situation as above, for example, in the sequential processing until one book-bound thing is formed, it is desirable to reduce an user's assistive operation and automatize use of the system. However, conventionally, even proposals for what kinds of devices are to be used, and how to operate, cooperate, adjust and control each device have not been submitted. Thus, it is difficult to be able to output user's desired data and solve such a disadvantage as above.